Electrical switch



Sept. 18, 1945. w. R. YOUNG 2,384,985

ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed July 20, 1943 Inventcf: William R. Young,

J35 His Attor'fiqg Patented Sept. 18, 1945 ELECTRICAL SWITCH William R. Young, Fairfield, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application July 20, 1943, Serial No. 495,411

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to electrical switches of the type including stationary contacts and a movable contact member or contact bridging member operated by a snap action mechanism.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of such electrical switches which is simple in construction, safe in operation, and may be manufactured at comparatively low cost.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following description and the claims appended thereto in connection with the accompanying drawing. p

In the drawing Fig. 1 illustrates an electrical switch embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partly broken away of the switch shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section along line 3--3 halves Ii] and II made of insulating material and forming a chamber I2. The casing halves are secured together by means of rivets l3 which also serveto attach two supporting brackets I4, I5 to opposite sides of the casing. Two spaced stationary cont-acts I6, I! are disposed within the chamber and have outer ends projecting through the casing for connection to an electric circuit. The stationary contacts I6, I! are secured to the casing halves by rivets I8. A contact bridging member or movable switch member 20 is disposed within the chamber I2 and is carried by an arm or lever 2|. The arm 2| is connected to the casing III, I I by means of a loose slot and pivot connection. In the present example a pivot 22 secured to the casing projects through a slot 23 of the lever 2|.

Means are provided to bias the lever 2| into either of two end positions, a switch opening and the switch closing position. This means comprises another lever or cam 24 having two spaced projections or stops 25, 26 and being supported on the casing I0, II by means of a pivot 21. The lever 24 has an arm 28 projecting through an opening 29 in the casing. In the switch closing position (Fig. the lever 2| engages the stop 25 of the lever 24 and is biased into this position by means of a simple arced spring 3|] which has an upper bent end portion 3| (Fig. 3) projecting through an opening in the upper end of the lever nect's the contacts I6 and I1.

2|. The lower end of the spring 30 is connected to the pivot 21.

The stops 25 and 26 of the actuating lever 24 are locatedon opposite sides of the center line through the'p-ivots 22 and 2!. Rotary movement of the lever 24 is limited by two stops 32 and 33 in'theform of pins secured to the casing II), II. In the position of Fig. 2 the lever 24 engages'the stop 33 and the contact bridging member 2|] con- Downward movement of the lever 28 into engagement with the stop 32 removes the contact bridging member from the contacts |5, II, thus causing opening of the latter (Fig. 4). During such movement the lever 2| turns gradually about the pivot 22 and simultaneously is movedupward until the lever 22 reaches dead center position through the centers of the pivots 22, 21 whereupon further moveopening position (Fig. 4) in which its lower, end

engages the stop 26.

The levers 2| 24 are, preferably made from insulating material such as a phenolic condensation product.

' In the present example the contacts I6, I! are held in spaced relation by means of the rivets I8 and a spacer block 34 engaging adjacent sides of the contacts I6, I! and supported on the casing IO, U by a pin 35 projecting through the block 34 and having free ends each located in adjacent recesses of the casing halves Ill,

The arrangement of Figs. 5, 6 comprises an insulating, casing having two halves 4|], 4| held together by means including a sheet metal cover 42 engaging the face of the casing half 4| and having strip portions 43, 44 bent around opposite sides and the rear of the casing 40, 4|. Two stationary contacts 45, 46 are disposed within the casing, each having an end portion 41 located in a recess of the casing. A movable switch member is disposed within the casing and comprises a metallic rivet 48 corresponding to the member 20 of Fig. 1. It is held on the lower end of a lever 49. An upper end portion of the lever is provided with a pivot 50 which has a tight fit in the lever and slidably projects into opposite slots 5|, 52 of the casing halves 40, 4|, respectively. The lower end of the lever 49 engages a cam 53 which has two projections 54, 55 and is held on a shaft 56 rotatably supported on the casing. The shaft projects through the face of the casing half 4| and has a free end provided with an actuating knob 51. A mounting nozzle 58 is secured and projections 54, 55 by means of a spring 66 which i has a, single turn with one end engaging the pivot 58 and another end located'in arecess 62 iii the casing.

The stationary contacts 45, 46 which are loosely positioned in recesses of the oasing are held'in spaced relation by a spacer block 63 corresponding to the block 34 in Fig. 3 and engaging adjacent sides of the blades 45, 46. The block is securely new on the casingriaives 4n and 4'] by means of a pin 64 secured to the block-andprojecting into ad acent-openings user the asing halves.

I'n'th'e' switch clos ng position (Fig. 5) the lever 49 engages the stapes of'the earn 53 and the centae chas n f ir'iber lfl connects or bridges the eenta tjs'ds, at. upen'eleekwi'se turning of'tne kiiolo 51 and the 5'3 the lever 49 is forced upwarevvith'the pm so siiaihg'aleng the slots 5|, 52 and the contact bridging member 43 moving thong th eentact portions 41; Asia the arrangemerits of Figs. 1'te4 this "gradual turning movement of the lever it eentinues until the lever reaches a dead centeeeesit en through the centers of tneeam stand the pinto. Further turn- 'iiig'moveifi'ht of thelever 129 is aeeeierated by "the action caused-by the spring 61 unto the lever lit-reaches its other end or Switch opening 'iges'itien in which iten'g'ag s the stop 550i the can 53; The arrangement of parts is 'preferably'such that theswit'chopenin'g takes place during the ateeieratee-mevement of the lever in or'drto reduce arcing between the stationary and movable eentectmember In the switch opening position the projection 55 or the earn 53 *engages'the lower end of the lever 49 and in turn is engageoby the shoulder ei'oathe e sing.- I

Having described the m'ethodof operation of my-invention, together with the apparatus which rhow consider to represent the best embodiment tire'reoi, I wish to have "it understood that the apparatusshevva is oniy illustrativ'e and that the invention may be earned entity other means. What I claim as new anu; -desire to secure by Bettor's Paten'tof' theoni'ted states is:

l; A'switch eempn'singacasing of insulating material, stationary contact means supported on said casing, a first lever carrying contact means for engaging and disengaging said stationary contact means, a slot and pivot connection supporting said lever on the casing for pivotal and sliding movement, a second lever pivotally supported on said casing and being provided with spaced projections for alternately engaging a portion of said first lever,- and spring means cooperating with the first lever for biasing it into engagement with one or said projections, pivotal movement of said second lever causing the first lever to move longitudinally through said slot and pivot connection and pivotally past a center portion whereby said springbia'se's the "lever into engagement with the other projection 2. A switch comprising a casing of insulating material, a stationary contact element supported on said casing, a first lever carrying contact means for engaging and disengaging said contact element; as1et and pivot connectionsupporting one end of said lever onthe'casing for pivotal and sndih 'movement; a second-lever pivotally su por'tedo'n said casing with itspivot substantially in line with the aforementioned slot and pivot connection, said second'lever being provided with spaces roject-ions on opposite sides'of it's pivot for alternately engaging the opposite end of said first lever and'sp'ring means carriedby thesecond lever and cooperatingwith the first lever for biasing it-ii'ito engagement withone of said 'projection's; pivotal movement of saidsecond 1ever causing the'fir'st'iever to move longitudinally and then pi'votally past dead center so that said spring biases the first lever into engagement with the other projection;

An'electric switch comprising a casing of insulating inateriaL-stationary contact means carried-by said casing a first lever carrying contact means for engaging and'di'sen'gaging said stationary contact means-,aslot and pivot connectien supportmg one end of said lever on the casing, a second-lever pivotally Supported on said casing; Said second level being provided With spaeeo stops for aiterhatelyehgaging the opposite-end of 'sai'd 'first lever and an arced spring,

one and cream-spring being carried by the "second lever, the other end of said s'prin'g cooperating with'the fi rst lever fo'r bia'sing-it into engagement with one of said stops pivotal movement of said second lever causing the first lever to move 1ongitu'di-nally and then pivotally "past dead center so that saidspri'ng bia'se's thefirst lever into engager'nent with the other step. 

